Trip reports

Dungeness

Sunday, 15 April 2007

Our trip to Dungeness provided a number of unexpected surprises that lead to the most interesting and enjoyable day's bird watching. The first surprise of the day was an unexpected early morning detour from the RSPB reserve to the peninsula after a reported sighting of a ring ouzel. After a short search in the gorse adjacent to the observatory the ring ouzel showed and we were able to maintain contact and obtain fine views as it moved from one patch to another. We were informed that a wryneck had been sighted nearby first thing in the morning. We spent an hour searching through the scrub and gorse across the shingle finding only a wheatear, linnets, meadow pipits and a pair of sky larks. After deciding to move on to the sea watch we passed the nuclear power station, where a black redstart was spotted on the roof of an out building. Looking out to sea there were a number of common terns, cormorants, common gull, black headed and herring gulls. A ringed plover was also found on the beach. Returning to the RSPB visitors centre the second surprise was the sighting of a great northern diver on the new diggings. The bird could also be seen from hide one. Also on show were gadwall, goldeneye, lesser black backed gull, greylag goose and Canada goose. We continued to view the lake from the hides spotting pochard, teal, pied wagtail. A greylag goose appeared to be sitting close to one hide. It started to gather more nesting material only to allow a herring gull to snatch it's egg. As we continued around the reserve we spotted a pair of wimbrel, shoveler, kestrel, grey heron, shelduck, wigeon , three marsh harriers, a dunnock, oystercatcher, sedge warbler, reed bunting, cetti's warbler, redshank and mute swan. A pair of bearded reedlings were spotted foraging on the edge of a reed bed offering excellent views. The final surprise of the day came after we moved to the ARC side. Close to the car park we found a yellow wagtail and a real treat was a blue headed wagtail. Before departing we found a pair of ruddy ducks and a most unusual coot, with white plumage on the back, head and rump.